Visiting Mallorca - Son Bonet LESB

Yes, we all know 😅
For a concrete runway on the rough side, but ok. Been there a few times, outta season and few traffic I would land long on 18, and take-off on 36 to minimize the potholes and undulations. Good and friendly place, cheapest Mogas around 👍🏻

Juozas wrote:

Just completed two day VFR trip to Mallorca with Bristell NG5 912is. LELG (Los Garrancios) – LESB (San Bonet) – Son Alberti (Private Field). Special thanks for @aart who helped through many stages of the trip

I saw in your skydemon screenshot you crossed controlled airspace, AFAIK this is not allowed in Spain for ultralights. Does this mean it isn’t a big issue in reality?

I was wondering if I could fly straight ahead and ask Barcelona for TMA crossing instead of going around?

I believe that the ability for ULs to enter CAS is waiting for some final signature. However, in practice ATC will PROB40-90 not know that you are an UL. But, as you can see on the map, that big TMA east of Barcelona has a max altitude for 3.500 ft for VFR traffic. Essentially they want to keep you in E airspace.

I’ve been given permission a few times to climb into D airspace in order to be able to be on top. But you can’t count on it. Depends mainly on RWY in use at LEBL and LEGE.

I always stay east of that TMA and climb high for two reasons: 1) larger glide range to boats and 2) assured radio coverage. Especially Palma can be hard to contact at 3.500 ft. It depends a bit, but at 6.500 you should have seamless radio coverage.

@jvdo If you ask the permission to cross controled air space then 99 perc. they let you do it in Spain. ATC ask about the type of the aircraft in very rare occasions. Let say if you say light sports aircraft, no additionall qestions are ussually asked and you fly according to your plan. I follow official VFR routes for big airports if they are listed in AIP and put in and out points for controlled airspaice in flight plan. It was several times that they let fly VFR in A space even after my confirmation that it is VFR flight.

jvdo wrote:

Juozas wrote:
Just completed two day VFR trip to Mallorca with Bristell NG5 912is. LELG (Los Garrancios) – LESB (San Bonet) – Son Alberti (Private Field). Special thanks for @aart who helped through many stages of the trip
I saw in your skydemon screenshot you crossed controlled airspace, AFAIK this is not allowed in Spain for ultralights. Does this mean it isn’t a big issue in reality?

I was wondering if I could fly straight ahead and ask Barcelona for TMA crossing instead of going around?

aart wrote:

that big TMA east of Barcelona has a max altitude for 3.500 ft for VFR traffic

What is the actual meaning of these “VFR sectors”? Is it more like a recommendation to stay at this altitude and not bother asking for higher?

It‘s a way of the Spanish airspace designers saying: we don‘t want VFR inside our TMA. Therefore, (only) the airspace „below“ the TMA is to be used for VFR, hence „VFR sector“.

Italy also had this term until about 10 years ago, but then they abandoned it.

jvdo wrote:

What is the actual meaning of these “VFR sectors”?

My experience has told me that those are sectors where ATC will want to talk to you, as in an active RMZ, or ATZ. This recent trend is a PIA, and as in Italy, Spanish ATC now has a propensity to try to “control” VFR around their bigger (read commercial/money making) fields. If you don’t call them upon entering one of those sectors, they will call you…

@valdo I was landing there with ultralight, it is more or less ok. I was keeping the front wheel up as long as possible. Also avoided the very begining of the runway.

Vlado wrote:

runway